Tokyo's Most Affectionate - Chapter 112

Taking Responsibility to the End

As they bared their hearts, making promises and commitments, the two sat together and chatted for a long time.

It seemed like they had an endless supply of topics to discuss.

“Miss, would you like to practice archery for a while?”

By 4 p.m., Akai Sayaka, the maid, couldn’t bear it any longer and walked over to ask.

As a maid, it was her duty to serve the young lady in her daily life, including supervising her learning and growth.

Being at the archery range for so long was not advisable; it would make it difficult to assess her progress in archery later.

“Sure.”

Shiromiya noticed her approaching even before she spoke. Although she was reluctant to stop, she stood up.

The fact that Akai was willing to give her so much time was already quite rare.

Shiromiya also realized that despite Akai’s usually stern appearance, she was actually very kind to her.

Wearing tabi socks, Shiromiya walked on the wooden floor of the archery range, heading to get her bow.

“Thank you.”

At this moment, Kurosawa also stood up. He took a few steps forward and walked to the side of Akai before speaking.

“What do you mean, Mr. Kurosawa?”

Akai maintained a very formal posture, still dressed in her maid outfit, standing straight with hands folded in front, watching the young lady’s back.

“For letting me be with her.”

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Kurosawa thought for a moment and decided to confirm.

“If the young lady wants to make friends, as a maid, I have no reason to stop her. It doesn’t mean I support you being together, though.”

Akai still didn’t look at him, calmly stating her position.

“If it’s not just about making friends, would there be a reason then?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know about her grandfather’s situation?”

With confirmation from the person involved, Kurosawa roughly understood the situation and continued to inquire.

“I do know; the Akai family has been serving the Shiromiya family for over 120 years.”

“Is the Shiromiya family’s history really that long?”

Kurosawa was somewhat surprised; to be honest, he didn’t know much about this family.

In theory, the history of each family was ancient, but maintaining a prominent lineage for over a hundred years was no simple matter.

“To sustain a family’s legacy, one needs to endure many hardships, such as forming alliances with prestigious families or marrying elite talents, constantly expanding the network and mutually supporting each other.”

“Can I understand that you’re advising me?”

“Being a student at the University of Tokyo might not be enough; there are thousands every year. However, your archery skills are quite remarkable.”

At this point, Akai finally turned her head and glanced at Kurosawa, showing some admiration.

As an affiliated branch of the Shiromiya family for many years, even though she hadn’t practiced archery herself, she had some understanding due to her upbringing.

Because of this, she knew very well the significance of Kurosawa’s match against Sato.

“I understand.”

Acknowledging her insight, Kurosawa nodded.

As she said, while being a student at the University of Tokyo was prestigious, it didn’t necessarily guarantee reaching the pinnacle after graduation. 

Many alumni joined various major companies due to their school connections, but relying solely on this status didn’t make one exceptional.

However, his talent and proficiency in archery allowed him to stand at the pinnacle, making him one of the few outstanding individuals. This set him apart from the norm.

During their conversation, Shiromiya had already picked up her bow again. After a formal bow, she walked to the shooting point.

Her every move, as a member of the opposite sex, naturally attracted the attention of men. 

Her posture while pulling the bowstring and shooting arrows was particularly heroic.

“Snap!”

Following the standard eight-step shooting method, Shiromiya released the arrow.

“A very beautiful archery stance, but unfortunately, it didn’t hit.”

Seeing her graceful posture, Kurosawa praised, but after a glance at the target, he couldn’t help but comment.

“Professional archery competitions usually take place at close range, around 28 meters. The young lady hasn’t practiced much at the longer 60-meter distance.”

Hearing this evaluation, Akai couldn’t help but defend her.

“When I said ‘unfortunately,’ I didn’t mean her skill level. It’s just that the target is too far. With such excellent form, if the target were closer, it would definitely hit the bullseye.”

Seeing her defending the young lady, Kurosawa smiled.

“What are you up to?” Akai noticed him taking steps away and inquired.

“I’m taking her to the previous shooting range,” Kurosawa waved his hand.

“We’re going to another shooting range, and I’ll teach you,” he added, quickly reaching her side.

“Sorry, I can’t let you teach me right now,” Shiromiya, holding the bow, shook her head. Despite being tempted, she had to politely decline.

“Why?”

“Archery has different schools, and each sensei has a different shooting style… I follow the Windchaser style. If my shooting style changes, my grandfather might notice, and that wouldn’t be good.”

“Alright then.”

“You can teach me later.”

To ensure he didn’t feel upset, Shiromiya made a promise.

“After I get acquainted with your grandfather.”

“Yeah.”

In casual conversation, they headed to another shooting range, this time one at a closer distance.

As the two walked side by side in the aisle, Shiromiya glanced back left and right.

“What’s wrong?” Curious about her furtive movements, Kurosawa asked.

However, at that moment, Shiromiya pivoted on one foot, turned around, and lightly kissed Kurosawa’s cheek. 

The kiss was brief, like a dragonfly touching the water, and it only happened once.

“This is our agreement from earlier. You won, remember?” 

After giving his cheek a peck, Shiromiya turned back with a guilty look, realizing that no one else had seen them, and blushed.

“Wasn’t it a kiss on the lips?” Kurosawa, still feeling the soft and elastic sensation on his face, teased.

“Dream on. This was just a cheek kiss. Wait until you get my grandfather’s approval,” Shiromiya replied, a bit embarrassed by her own initiative.

“Hahaha.” Seeing her blush, Kurosawa couldn’t help but laugh.

Although this girl had wild ideas, she actually didn’t have much experience with the opposite sex. 

Just a kiss on the cheek made her blush, which was quite adorable.

“Why are you laughing?” Shiromiya felt embarrassed and a bit annoyed when she saw him laughing at her.

“By the way, let’s exchange contact information later. I was so anxious when I was stuck outside the gate just now,” Kurosawa said, changing the subject without teasing her further.

“How anxious were you?”

“You’re talking so casually. I couldn’t get in for so long. Weren’t you anxious when I was so late?”

Seeing that she was still in the mood to joke, Kurosawa complained.

Luckily, he had some connections and managed to get Ninomiya’s help to get Uesugi’s phone number; otherwise, it would have been a disaster.

“A little bit.”

“Just a little?” Kurosawa looked at her deeply.

“Well, I couldn’t help it. I wasn’t fond of you at that time. I was only anxious because I misjudged, thinking that even joining the archery club wouldn’t let you in, and I couldn’t contact you.”

Shiromiya turned her head away, feeling a bit embarrassed, as he continued to gaze at her.

The implicit meaning of this statement actually revealed a lot.

“That was at that time, what about now?” Kurosawa, sensing her underlying message, asked, relieving himself of the burden.

Earlier, he was influenced by Sato’s words and hesitated, not daring to flirt. 

However, now he had come to terms with it.

Perhaps there was a saying about not marrying but still flirting, and he had developed a taste for it.

Every date with a girl made him incredibly happy. The sense of accomplishment he felt after each date was also significant.

Surprisingly, when he made up his mind to be a playboy and disregard societal norms, he felt much more relaxed. 

No longer feeling restrained, he might juggle multiple relationships, but he was well aware of one thing.

The trigger for a date mission was the girl having a favorable impression of him and the desire to go on a date. 

He would do his best to make each date perfect, showcasing his talents and providing the other person with a wonderful experience, leaving behind beautiful memories.

As for the final outcome, he faced each relationship squarely. 

If the other party was willing, he could take responsibility to the end, compensating as much as possible for any shortcomings, striving for a fair balance.

“I really like you.”

Shiromiya didn’t evade or avoid this. 

Instead, she faced him with a smile, eyes filled with admiration, admiration, and more joy.

Her mood was very relaxed and happy because the burden that had been weighing on her for many years had been shared by Kurosawa. 

Now, she didn’t feel like she was being suffocated anymore.

Moreover, unlike girls of the same age, she had never had the autonomy to choose her marriage partner. 

Facing marriage, especially after casually mentioning the idea of being supported earlier, she was now unrestrained in front of Kurosawa.